I went for a test drive after a long absence. I applied for the Lexus campaign. Unfortunately it was not included in the campaign itself. Do you have a request for a test drive? I replied that I wanted to test drive on NX, RX, RC-F, and fortunately I got the opportunity to test drive all. It took about 20 minutes for each test drive course near the dealership, but it was a very good experience. I will write each impression easily.
Reasons for NX, RX, RC-F
My car history is Toyota Blizzard → Alfa Romeo 156 → Lotus Elyse → Lotus Evora → FJ Cruiser. As you can imagine from here, I like driving cars and I like sports cars. Elise wants to own it again.
My current car is the FJ Cruiser. What if you change the vehicle inspection to a machine? In order not to change the size and style of the car significantly, it will be NX or RX. RC-F wanted to try Lexus F once, so what is it compared to Evora? Because of the interest.
Pre-adjustment of schedule etc.
After a while after replying that I would like to test drive to Lexus Tokyo, the nearest Lexus contacted me. As I asked Lexus Tokyo, I told them that I would like to test drive on NX, RX, RC-F and that I can test drive all three models. However, the RX is before minor change (as of the end of July 2019, scheduled for minor change at the end of August 2019). I wasn’t expecting the RC-F, but I was a little surprised because the test drive was OK. After having them adjust at the desired date and time, I was looking forward to spending that day.
NX and RX can be equipped with a child seat during test drive.
When I asked if my family had an infant, I could install a child seat, but it was said that there was no problem because there was a ready item at the store. However, RC-F is difficult to install, so only NX and RX. There are no problems with these two models that we are considering after the FJ Cruiser.
So, NX and RX are test drive with family and sales, RC-F are test drive with me and sales.
First, NX
The grade of NX that I tried was NX300, 2L inline 4-cylinder intercooler turbo. Have the child seat attached to the back of the passenger seat in the second row and place the child there. My wife and I are in the driver’s seat and the passenger seat, and the sales person is in the second row behind the driver’s seat, and we are ready to start a test ride.
Feeling when I was sitting in the driver’s seat.
Compared to the FJ Cruiser, it has a slightly smaller size and feels compact. The center console has a design that curves upwards from the horizontal to the front, so the driver’s seat feels enclosed. It feels like a cockpit and is very good. The eye point is slightly lower than the FJ Cruiser. The front edge is easy to grasp, but the rear edge is not clear. It’s all like this in modern cars. The width of the car is easy to grasp. Adjust the position and start the test drive.
Parking brake is automatic! !!
It may be normal in recent cars, but the first thing that surprised me was that the parking brake was automatic. If you move the gate type shift from P to D, the parking brake will be released automatically. If you put it in P, it will automatically enter again. Normally, it is customary to operate the side brakes by hand, but there are people who do not, so I thought it would be good to prevent such forgetting.
Operation feeling
There is no particular problem if you are driving normally. You can run, turn, and stop with the strength and speed you think at your own timing. When you want power, just press the accelerator and it will give you the necessary acceleration. As for the brake, the amount of assist is adjusted very well and it works linearly.
Interior impression
The windshield is sleeping so it feels narrow. The rear seats are large enough compared to the FJ Cruiser, and it feels like it’s easy to put or take down a child. The FJ Cruiser is a double door, so I have a hard time. In addition, the rear seats are also narrow, so it was very easy to use compared to that.
Next, RX
Next is RX test drive. The test ride was RX450hL. It is a 3.5L V6 hybrid with a 3rd row seat. It is 110mm longer than the normal model by the amount of the third row seat. I feel that it is a little long when viewed from the side. Just like the NX, sit down and start the test drive.
Feeling when I was sitting in the driver’s seat.
The eye point is about the same height as the FJ Cruiser, which has almost the same vehicle class. The center console is high, but it extends horizontally to the front and rises vertically from there, so it doesn’t feel as enclosed as the NX.
Accelerator pedal is organ pedal.
The first thing I noticed after operating the accelerator was that the accelerator pedal was an organ pedal. Usually, the accelerator pedal is often suspended. So is the FJ Cruiser. It feels uncomfortable at first, but since the fulcrum of the accelerator pedal is on the floor, it is the same as the movement of the foot pushing the toe side around the heel as an axis, so this is easier to operate. The fact that the organ type, which is often used in luxury cars and sports cars, is adopted, I feel that the RX wants to be on the luxury car side in the Lexus lineup.
Operation feeling
The car is almost the same as the FJ Cruiser, so it feels almost comfortable to drive. Because it is a hybrid, thanks to the assist of the motor during acceleration, it accelerates too much. Other than that, I think that you can operate as you want without feeling discomfort and you can drive without stress.
Interior impression
It doesn’t feel as enclosed as the NX, and it’s wider because it has a higher car class. The second row seats are also wide enough that no one will complain if you move five people.
Finally, RC-F
By the way, NX and RX were the models we are considering to transfer from the FJ Cruiser, but this RC-F is different. I’m interested in car lovers, so I want to try it! It is a car. The RC-F is above the sports car and below the supercar. If you dare say, it will be a high performance car. The grade I tested was a Performance package. It was at the very top.
RC-F performance package exterior.
The RC-F performance package I tried was a black body color. The carbon of the bonnet and roof is less noticeable than the other colors, but it still asserts itself. The fixed rear wing on the trunk is very cool. The wheels are also black and the appearance is blackish and firm. The red interior is shining.
Feeling when I was sitting in the driver’s seat.
When you sit in the driver’s seat, the first thing you see is the excitement of the hood. Is it excited because it contains a 5L V8 engine? I immediately realized that the sitting position was low. It’s not as low as the Evora, but it sits low enough. Nevertheless, the forward and backward views are still secured. I thought it was easy to get a feel for the vehicle. The seat has a very good hold, and it is unlikely that it will slip during driving.
The feeling of operation of the handle and accelerator is heavy.
The feeling of operating the handle and accelerator is heavy. You have to operate with a clear intention. Compared to this, the Evora had lighter handles and accelerators. The steering wheel is very straightforward and controlled as you want. At the intersection, the front feels like being caught inside like a FR, but at other curves, it controlled as expected. Should the accelerator be this heavy when it comes to handling 5L V8? I thought.
The touch of the brake is light.
The touch of the brake is lighter than the accelerator. Just put your foot on the brake pedal to raise the braking force. If you step on it, the braking force will increase linearly. This was the same for Evora. It’s very good that you can slow down and stop at ease.
Comfortable ride.
The test drive ran in sports S + mode. It will automatically perform shift changes for the amount of normal flow, so if you depress the accelerator, it will accelerate smoothly. The underbody should also be the hardest, but the unpleasant shock does not come in. In a normal curve, you can feel the roll and pitch of the car body, and it will move like a Mizusushi in almost the same posture. Sometimes there is a sharp input when there is a clear step, but this is natural. This area had the same impression as Evora.
Manual mode is fun.
If you want to enjoy the 5L V8 engine, you need to operate the paddle shift and actively shift. Since it is a downhill test drive, the second speed will end soon, but I could taste the engine performance. When the engine speed exceeds 4000 ~ 5000rpm, the engine sound inside the car becomes loud and it is running! I often feel that. As for the shift change, if you operate the paddle, the gear will shift immediately, and you will not feel any discrepancy with your intention. I thought it would be fun to go winding.
Summary
I did test drive of NX, RX, RC-F at Lexus. Both the NX and RX, which we consider as a transfer from the FJ Cruiser, were good cars. Which do you choose as a replacement? Then, is it NX at this point? The driving feeling was neither good nor bad, but the reason is that I do not need the size up to RX.
I want RC-F. I’m not going to run anywhere anymore every week like when I was riding an Elise or Evora, but I think that it’s the best way to use it on a daily basis while occasionally going to the circuit. I think that cost performance is higher than that of foreign manufacturers when considering performance and tuning contents. I envy those who own it.
I took a test drive after a long time this time. I will try various cars if I have the opportunity.